The world champion, Vishy Anand, provided us with an excellent example of defensive play – our theme over the last few weeks – in this recent game from the elite tournament in Wijk aan Zee. He has the advantage of rook for knight, but Kramnik's knight has just moved into b3, attacking the rook on c1. How did Anand cope?

RB What's wrong with the simple 1 Rd1, getting out of harm's way and threatening 2 Rxd5 and the capture of the knight on b3? Black might play 1...Rc8, getting his rook on to an open file with tempo, but after 2 Qd3 is he any better? Let's say Black continues 2...Ne4, when, it has to be conceded, his pieces are penetrating White's half, but still... isn't White okay? So I suppose the question must be: after 1 Rd1 does Black have anything better than 1...Rc8...? I don't see any tactical tricks, so Black has to attend to the threat of the exchange of a white rook for two minor pieces – perhaps 1...Nc5, and White simply continues 2 Bc4, with what looks to me like a fine game.

DK Ronan underestimates Black's attack. After the line he mentions, 1 Rd1 Rc8 2 Qd3 Ne4, there might not be an immediate threat, but what does White do next? He has to bring his king to safety, so 3 Be2 suggests itself, but 3...Nc1 causes trouble. For example, 4 Qd4 Nxe2 5 Kxe2 Rc2+ and the attack gathers pace. It is telling that all Black's moves in this sequence are either a capture or a threat – White is just rolling with the punches.

In the game, Anand took a big think, smelled the danger, and compromised. 1 Bc4 returned his extra material, but started the process of exchanging Black's active pieces as well as the evacuation of the king from the centre. The game continued: 1...Nxc1 2 Bxd5 Nxd5 3 Qxc1 Rc8 4 Qb1 Qc5 5 0-0, the danger had passed, and the game was drawn a few moves later.